Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-02-26
FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
second Session.


WASHINGTON. Feb. 25.
The resolution offered by MIR Van Wyck
Yesterday proposing a institutional amend
meht Tor the election of senators BY a direct
vote nf the people, vas taken up and MIR
Van Wye addressed the Senate in favor of
/ 1t.
| A message was submitted from the presi.
dent ve'oing the bill for the erection of a
post office building at Lynn. Mass, on the
grous.d that there il no necessity for th.. ex.
pendlture of 100000 or any other sum Tn
meet the postal wants of the government nj
that point.
Mr.. Dawes moved that the message he
laid on the table for the present; 50 ordered.
Mr Allison, from the mmittee on appro.
DrlatIons. r. p prted back The consular and dj
plomatic appropriation bill and gave notice
that he would tomorrow, at the earliest posi-.
b'e moment, call it up for consideration 10
the exclusion Of all other business
lhe Senate resumed the consideration of
the pleuro-pne umonia bill, the pending ques
ton being on the amendment offered yrstpr.
dsv by MIR. Vest. requiring The assent of the
authorities OF State bt fore the cattle com
missioner can operate therein. The amend.
ment was 7. lecttd-26 to 81
Mr. Edmunds offered "a substitute for
the bill bill approprlaIing one millon of
dollars 10 be expended und-r the direction
OF the President of the Unit, Stat and in
his discretion through The commi> sipner of
OF agriculture, to and the proper authorizes
o1 the sew raj States in preventing the spread
OF the disease commonly known as pleuru-
pneumonia, the appropriation TO expire at the
end two years. He made an argument in
support Of The substitute and against the CON
stiutionalily of the original bill.
| The question was taken on MIR. Edmunds'
substitute and it was agreed to--yeas 81
nays q.
Mr. Dawes moved to reconsider the vote
| adopting the substitute, remarking thar he
had come into the chamber from the COZ fer
ence meeting while the vote was being taken
and that he had voted for the sub. titule with
out understanding it.
The bill was finally laid aside Informally.
When taken up again the first vote i'll be
on r C ;DsiderIpg the vote adopting the Ed
munds substitute.
The cor ference report on the bill relating
to the contested election in the House was
present. d by Mr.. Hoar and agreed to.
The presiding officer then lain before the
Senate the Pacific railroad inquiry resolu-
tion.
Mr.. Frye moved that the Senate go into
executive session.
A discus sion followed and Mr.. Mcpherson
declare bis intention to antagoBlze every
other measure until direct vote was taken
on the Pacific railroad matter.
| The motion for ,xt cutive session was re-
jected-2 81 to 36-and the Senate took "A re-
cess till o'cl"Ck.
When the Senate assembled it Immediately
proceeded to the conside ration of the House
joint resolution for an investigation of tine
| books Of the Pacific railroad with the Senate
! amt ndme mt thereto 10 the nature of a sub
stitute.
MIR. McPhersos moved to strike out from
the substitute st cinn 1, 5 and 6
MIR. Hoar agreed in the proprety of the
motion. Tie fl, ct of the 40 pr cent fra
ture would be to bankrupt the Union Pacific
Mr.. " ilson of Iowa, suggested that the
senator from New jersey madIfy his motion
so as to exclude thereirom the fourth section
which confers certain powers upon the Pres
ident.
Mr.. Mcpherson acted upon the suggestion
and vote was taken on striking out the 5;h
and b, the sinking iund sections, and they
were stricken out--yeas &c, na,s a.
Mr.. McPherson moved to strike out the
4th section Of the substitute authorizing the
President TO IT deem prior mortgages.
Mr. She rman said that in hi Judgment the
4th :, ctiun ought not to be IN the blll because
1t was wrong in principle, in fact that it con
ftrrtd enormous powers on the President of
the United stat, s ten Years in advance of
such powers. There could be no default in
principal of these first first mortgage bonds
ull 1897 He thought the rate tixrd IN the
Senate bill for the compensation # coma.is-
sioners $3.50 a month) was TOO high. The
effect OF it was to be the prolonging of the
investigation. The amount fixed 5y the
House (S3O00 a year, vas probably too
,bt ha
the right sum.
Mr. Hoar favored $3.50 a month because
| it would secure the services of men of high
character.
MIR. Plumb moved to amend by adding
several other subjects of inquiry, such as the
relations of railroads to the interests OF COM
panies through which tney pass, etc.
The substitute was then agreed to and the
bill as amended was passed without division
and conference asked
M.ssrs Hoar, Evarts and Pugh we're ap-
pointed conferees.
The Senate at 55 A. M. adjourned.
HOUSE.
The speaker laid before the House message
from the Senate, announcing the passage by
that body over the Presidents veto Of the
bill for the relief of Thomas H. Hopkins.
The bill and Presidents message were re-
ferred to the committee on invalid pensions
The bill crea,ing a department of ag'i
culture and labor was referred to the com
mi,tee on agriculture.
On motion OF Mr.. Belmont of New York,
the House insisted on its amendments to the
retaliation bill, and conferees were appoint
ed.
The House then went into committee of
the whole on the deficiency appropriation
bill.
Mr. Boutelle moved to strike out the para
graph appropriating Sl,l00,000 for the con-
struction of timber dry docks to be located
at such navy yards as the secretary Ct the
navv NAV indicate. He was not opposed, he
said to tile construction of dry docks. but he
criticised the provision for its failure TO indi-
cate where they should be located 1t was
dangerous to leave the matter to the dlscre-
tion of the secretary, which might be exer.
cistd according to exigencies of political
| election.
Mr.. Thomas of Illinois favored the appro-
priatiOn and dwelt upon the necessity OF a
provision being made for dry docks which
could accommodate the new cruisers. The
| rraat dnck ChariestnWn 30 feet